Chain
by DD Agent
Summary: Laura is depressed after Earth. Bill talks to Tigh, and he suggests a way to cheer her up before realising that Bill is going to listen to him… Spoilers for 4 x 11


**Chain by DD Agent**

A/N:

This came to me in the week up to 'Sometimes a Great Notion', and I had planned to write it before hand. However, revision took precedent. But its here now! I suppose Zarek is a bit extreme/OOC in this, but its fluff and its funny.

Disclaimer: All BSG characters and such are the property of people other than myself such as RDM; I'm just borrowing them. No copyright infringement is intended.

Spoilers: Definitely 4:10 and 4:11

Plot: Laura is depressed after Earth. Bill talks to Tigh, and he suggests a way to cheer her up before realising that _Bill is going to listen to him_…

XXX

She looked so cold, like solid ice mixed with a grieving heart. From Earth to the Raptor, and from the Raptor to Galactica she had not said a word. No small sound of grief or loss or anger or pain. Just a silence that cut through his heart. She had gone straight to their quarters, the happiness he had felt being able to say 'their' was long gone. He reluctantly had travelled all the way to CIC to reassure the crew of the situation. He could feel them wince from his empty, hopeful words. Leaving things to the newly returned Saul, he left and returned to her side.

Lights down. Bags packed. Only his things hanging up. A silent Laura Roslin sitting on his rack, palms flat on her legs.

"No." It was the only word he could come up with, the only thing that could escape his lips. They had danced the courting dance around each other for years; he had come so close to losing her, only to find both her and her love. Now she was lost in a prison of fallen hopes and false prophecies, one that he didn't know if he could break her out of.

"It doesn't really matter anymore. Nothing does." He watched her go out the door, no contact between them just empty air. He felt hollow, empty and alone.

X

"So she just left. Went to Colonial One to sort out the Presidency with Zarek."

"Sucks to be you, huh Bill? Everyone has lost their faith, the potential of a new home. I've knocked up a cylon. I _am_ a cylon, and you're worried because your girlfriend left."

"Shut up Saul." Both men fell silent, neither of them sure what to say. Like old times on Caprica, there was a bottle between them and they were discussing a woman. It used to be Tigh drowning his sorrows and talking about Ellen, but now it was Bill and he was discussing Laura. _His Laura_.

"Suppose you could always propose, that should sort things out. Any funk that a woman is in you can get her out of by slipping a ring on her finger," Saul replied, chucking back another glass of the amber liquid.

"That's not such a bad idea."

Saul froze as he began to pour himself another drink. He had attempted his remark to be in jest, to be a joke to get Bill out of his self-pitying attitude. He didn't think he would actually take his advice and propose to the President!

"Bill…I was joking…"

"It makes sense. I've known her longer than several of the married couples on this ship. I've respected and loved her longer than they've even been married. Why not propose to her? I _want _to be married to her Saul, slip a different ring on both our fingers and start a new life together."

Bill looked solemn, sober. Saul didn't think you should ever propose to a woman sober, which was why he poured his friend another drink and began to tell him the problems with his decision.

"Number One: the most obvious. She doesn't want to talk to you at the moment; I don't think she's going to allow you to get on one knee. Leading on from that, can you even get on one knee? There's a reason why they call you the old man, Bill. Three: she's dying of Cancer; your new life together won't be very long. Four: Married couples on this ship? Ellen would flirt with anything that moved; Dee, Lee, Anders and Starbuck's respective marriages were broken up by Lee and Starbuck frakking."

"Helo and Sharon."

"Helo is a tool and Athena is a cylon."

"So are you."

"Point taken." Saul leaned back in his chair so Bill could challenge what he had initially said.

"I'm the Admiral of this fleet, I can find out where she is and get in uninvited. _And,_ I can get on one knee, I'm probably a hell of a lot more flexible then you are Saul." That caused Saul to spurt his drink over his chin and double up in laughter.

"I know she has Cancer, but I still think she can beat it. Anyway, any moment with her as my wife would be better then a lifetime and a half of her just as my President. As for your problem with marriage on this ship, Ellen was like that when you married her and the others were stupid marriages based on the spur of the moment decisions."

"Which is different from what you're doing how?"

"I'm going to go find a ring."

Bill unlocked the hatch and left Saul's quarters, leaving a confused Tigh behind. _Better alert the crew_, he thought,_ either we're going to have another incident of martial law or celebrations throughout the ship_.

X

Knees up around her neck, head resting on the pillow behind her. Tears fresh on her face, the burned pages of prophecy lying as far away from her as possible. The smell made her gag, it reminded her too much of the scorched Earth below them.

"Madam President, Admiral Adama is here to see you."

"Send him away."

She hadn't seen him since Galactica, and she didn't want to see him till they were away from this frakking planet. Laura had made a mistake; she had told Bill that she loved him. She shouldn't have, she should have never uttered those words. She would be dying soon, her body joining her spirit. It wasn't fair on him. Frak Elosha, she was wrong about Pythia and she was wrong about her and Bill.

"Laura."

"Go away Bill."

She rolled away from him, hoping that he would get the message and leave her to her thoughts. She needed space, she needed to forget the soft comfort of his arms, the tickling breathe on her skin, the tremble that his voice gave her.

"I'm on business Laura. There's been a report of someone using the black market to purchase several high price jewellery items. Its an officer from Galactica."

"Your business."

"Laura, this is very important. I don't know whether to reprimand the officer or let it be. It's a very nice piece of jewellery."

"Right."

"What do you think?" He asked, trusting his instinct as he placed his whole body around her, holding her tenderly. She stiffened against him immediately, but against her will her body relaxed into the familiar touch of him. He reached down into his pocket and produced a small box, before flipping it open before her. It was a silver ring, with a small blue gem encrusted into the metal. He murmured the words against her skin, before repeating them louder.

"Marry me."

"Bill."

"I don't care whether you're the President. I don't care whether you're a Prophet. What you are, Laura Roslin, is mine. For however long we both live, you…are…mine."

"Yes, yes I will," she said, kissing his hands as they enveloped her own and took the ring out of the box before placing it on her delicate finger.

"I love you Laura."

"About frakking time Admiral."

X

Tom Zarek and Lee Adama were trying to keep the respective members of the Quorum and the press contained. It wasn't working. Lee's speech of unity and togetherness in the face of trouble and heartbreak was overshadowed by Tom yelling about Laura Roslin's incapability in running the government and being in bed with the military. For why else wouldn't she be present giving a statement?

"Mr Adama, can you give us any information about the reports of your father dealing with known people involved in the Black Market?"

"Well…I can not officially comment…"

Suddenly everything went quiet as Laura Roslin entered, as always regally composed. Lee noted the addition of a shiny silver ring around her finger, but said nothing. Tom, however, had not noticed the entrance of the President.

"The only reason why Adama has supported her through her time as President was because he wanted to get her into bed!"

Tom finally noticed that things had gone quiet, and turned to see Laura Roslin with a curious expression on her face.

"Everything alright Mister Zarek?"

"Yes Madam President."

Laura took up her stance at the podium and the room fell deathly quiet, while Zarek stepped back out of frame.

"Earth…wasn't what we expected. We cannot settle there, but Admiral Adama has assured me that we _will_ find a new home. As for Mister Zarek's allegations that the military are in bed with the government, I say to him - get a new tune."

"Then why has Admiral Adama never given me the same respect that he gives you?"

"Because you're an ass."

The press couldn't help but stifle their giggles at the look on the Vice Presidents face. Even Lee couldn't help but smirk at the dressing down she had given him. Zarek sighed and plastered a smile on his face before leaning against the bulk of the ship. Game, set and match to Madam President.

X

"Stop fiddling with that damn thing."

"Well you shouldn't have given it to me if you were worried about me fiddling, Admiral," Laura replied, slotting her engagement ring back onto her finger and moving herself back into Bill's lap. The IV that was feeding her diloxin wasn't bothering her as much as it usually did, but that may have something to do with her fiancé drawing circles on the skin of her back while he read to her.

"I was thinking about Kara as a bridesmaid."

"What about Tory?"

"Two cylons as head positions in our wedding? That will go down well." Laura responded, getting Bill to pass over her pad and glasses. She had taken her treatment time as perfect opportunity to plan the wedding, as it was the only time that her and Bill were alone and not in…_conspicuous positions_.

"Finally, someone who'll make an honest woman out of her," Jack Cottle muttered as he entered and observed the scene. The fleet hadn't been told yet; the only people who were aware were Cottle, Tigh, Kara, Lee and the couple themselves. People had been speculating about the sudden appearance of a ring, but there was no press release just yet.

Laura responded to his comment by whacking him with her pad of paper. He lit another cigarette and left the couple to their own devices. Bill kissed her forehead and held her tight as another wave of nausea hit her.

"Who'll perform the service?"

Bill and Laura turned to each other for a moment thinking about his question, before realising the perfect person.

"Cottle!"

End 


End file.
